Southside Business Technology Center, Inc.

The Southside Business Technology Center, Inc., will expand and strengthen its seed fund program through its project, “The Launch Place Seed Fund2 to Support Rural Entrepreneurship.” The Launch Place (TLP) is a non-profit seeking to energize and diversify the economy of the Dan River Region of North Carolina and Virginia through entrepreneurship development and business consulting services. TLP launched its first funds, PreSeed1 and Seed Fund1, in 2014 to provide seed funding to entrepreneurs and companies expanding operations in the region. Building upon the success of these funds, TLP established a second set of funding, PreSeed2 and Seed Fund2. This project will provide necessary additional operational support to help make the new funds successful, thereby providing critical assistance to help expand the Dan River Region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and environment. The fund expects to make investments in 18 companies, employing at least 60 people in the Dan River Region at a minimal salary of $50,000 per job, thus creating a minimum of $3 million in salaries and wages during the three year grant period.